
Tottenham
must entertain White Hart Lane when they host Chelsea, and the Blues could
exploit it, says the
Premier League Daily panel.
Chelsea head to Tottenham on Wednesday night, live on
Sky Sports 1 HD,
looking to set a new record for consecutive Premier League wins in a single
season by claiming their 14th straight victory.
Tottenham were beaten 2-1 when the sides met at Stamford Bridge in November
and, speaking on Sky Sports News HQ, the Premier League Daily panel believes
the pressure to secure all three points against their rivals on home turf
could backfire for Spurs.
"Chelsea don't have to entertain the White Hart Lane fans," said former
Blues defender Mario Melchiot. "If Tottenham start the game and sit back,
maybe the fans will turn [on them].
"But the other side is that it's a derby, you have to win, so how are you
going to go about it? You have to attack. And everybody knows the strength
of this Chelsea side is the counter-attack."
Ex-Arsenal full-back Nigel Winterburn believes the game will provide an
"explosive" spectacle for the neutrals, but agreed the onus will be on Spurs
to go out and win the fixture.
"Tottenham are going to have to force the game a little bit, I'd be
surprised if Spurs fans let them sit back," Winterburn said.
"They know they're going to have to take the game to Chelsea a little bit.
So providing we don't get a sending off, we're expecting an explosive game
that a little bit of magic can decide."
Melchiot - who joined the Blues from Ajax in 1999 before leaving for
Birmingham City in 2004 - says Chelsea and Tottenham's players will be aware
Wednesday's derby is about more than points.
"It doesn't matter if you're not English, you pick it up very quick," he
said. "As soon as you arrive in England, these are the games that people
explain to you in a different way.
"They tell you 'listen, this is not about you, not about whatever you have
achieved. It starts tonight and it is about your fans'.
"When you get that, you know you are going to be in a heated battle. This is
why the Premier League is so special because these are the games you look
forward to."